BlueCross to permanently cover telehealth visits

The leaders of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee have announced the Chattanooga-based insurer will continue covering telehealth services permanently after major spikes in usage during the pandemic. 

In March, after the payer expanded coverage to video and telephone visits to in-network primary care providers, specialists and behavioral health providers, claims for the services jumped 18-fold from the same time last year. BlueCross said between March 16 and April 14, the organization managed more than 71,000 telehealth visits for members.